*** UPDATE *** The rhetoric is heating up a bit. From CQ Politics…

In what may be a glimpse of the campaigning to come, Feigenholtz — who is backed by EMILY’s List, the influential political action committee that supports Democratic women candidates who support abortion rights — tried to diminish the impact of the endorsement rival Quigley received from county commissioner Forest Claypool.

“It’s no surprise he would endorse his fellow County Board member,” Feigenholtz spokesman Franck said of Claypool. But he qualified that statement by contending that Quigley has supported controversial actions taken by Cook County Board President Todd Stroger. “Unlike Mike Quigley, Claypool never embraced Stroger nor voted for his initial budget that cut frontline workers while adding Stroger’s friends and family to the county payroll. We wish Commissioner Quigley had shown similar judgment,” Franck said.

Quigley’s camp lashed back with equal vigor, seeking to tie Feigenholtz — long associated with the “reform” wing of the Chicago Democratic Party — with both Stroger and the recently ousted governor of Illinois. “Instead of slinging mud at other candidates, Sara Feigenholtz might want explain her own cynical record of ‘Springfield politics as usual’ which includes her own endorsement of Todd Stroger … and even a $5,000 contribution to Rod Blagojevich well after it was clear that he was the subject of federal investigations,” said Tom Bowen, spokesman for Quigley’s campaign.

Ouch.

Then again, Quigley allowed Blagojevich to use him as a pawn during the budget stalemate when he accepted Blagojevich’s invite to speak to a private leaders meeting on were the TIF issue.

*** UPDATE 2 *** You can listen to the full debate at Chicago Public Radio’s site.

*** UPDATE 3 *** Roger Romanelli was booted off the ballot in the 32nd Ward Democratic Committeeman’s race by Rep. John Fritchey, who ended up winning the race. Since then, Romanelli has asked for a US Attorney’s investigation of the Chicago Board of Elections, even though the Illinois appellate court upheld his removal.

And now he’s holding a press conference…

Press Conference: Public Invited

Saturday, February 7 at 2p * Ashland Grill, 2824 N. Ashland Ave.

We elected President Obama for CHANGE.

John Fritchey in Congress is NOT CHANGE - -

it’s more classic Chicago corruption.

We’re telling our story to save America. […]

We will ask the Illinois Reform Commission - - the new anti-corruption body created by Governor Pat Quinn - - to investigate the Chicago Board of Elections for rigging Fritchey’s election.

Some people just can’t let go.

[ *** End of Updates *** ]

* Don’t forget to check Saturday’s update. You can comment on that post here.

* Not exactly “new” news, but at least someone has said they talked to Emanuel about the prospect of him running again…

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is interested in potentially returning to Chicago someday to reclaim the congressional seat he held until a month ago, a candidate running to replace him said Sunday.

When 11 Democrats at the first 5th Congressional District forum were asked whether they have had direct or indirect conversations with Emanuel about being a “place holder” for the seat, only state Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago) said he had.

“I spoke with Rahm maybe a week or two after he had accepted the job of chief of staff,” Fritchey said. “At that time, he had commented to me that he may be interested in running one day again for the seat. I told him that should I be fortunate enough to run, and should I be fortunate enough to win the seat, I would look forward to campaigning against him.” […]

When word first surfaced of Emanuel’s departure from a leadership post in the U.S. House, one theory held that he wanted someone to win the seat who would step aside if he wanted to reclaim it in the future.

It was a lot more than a “theory.” It was a plain fact at the time.

* More from Sunday’s debate…

The candidate most often mentioned as a potential seat-warmer for Emanuel, Mayor Daley’s unofficial floor leader, Ald. Patrick O’Connor (40th) was conspicuous by his absence at Sunday’s forum at DePaul University featuring 11 of the 13 Democrats on the ballot for the March 3 primary election.

O’Connor has strongly denied running as a place-holder for Emanuel.

University officials placed 10 telephone calls and e-mails to O’Connor, who never responded to any of them, they said. The 13th candidate, Pete Dagher, is fighting a ballot challenge to his petitions.

* That last sentence about the challenge to Dagher’s petitions got almost no play in the media, but it was a sore point during the debate among the 2nd Tier candidates. From the Progress Illinois live-blog…

Bryar is saying that two of his supporters decided to challenge Wheelan and Dagher.

Wheelan is not happy. He points out this signatures from his wife and neighbors were challenged. He asks whether candidates who lose their challenges should be held accountable.

Donatelli says Dagher’s own signature was challenged.

Monteagudo says that outrageous challenges caused his campaign 72 hours of work.

* Paul Bryar released a statement after the debate…

These supporters felt that the filed signatures of Wheelan, Thompson and Dagher were questionable. I think everyone in this district agrees that we need to demand accountability from those trying to represent this district in Congress. Neither I nor this campaign are paying for legal fees associated with these challenges. Our country faces greater issues, and if our opponents cannot handle this process perhaps we should not consider trusting them with the really important issues, like health care and job creation.

But challenging a wife’s signature? Bold. And if they were “shotgun” challenges, there could be repercussions.

I favor petition challenges as a normal course of campaigning, but there is a line.

* Another point from the live-blog…

Forys: If you beleve that you have to cut deals to get something done, then you don’t belong in Congress — you belong in jail.

That line bombed.

Hilarious.

* And Quigley apparently loved to read clips about himself to the crowd…

He’s reading various glowing press clips about his tenure as Cook Co. commissioner.

* Quigley also had a beginning of the year finance deficit compared to Feigenholtz…

An aide to state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) said she would report raising nearly $325,000. She had not yet filed with the Federal Election Commission late Saturday.

Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley raised $138,290 and had nearly all of it to start the year.

Mo’ money…

•Charles Wheelan, a University of Chicago public policy lecturer, reported raising $108,822 through Dec. 31. He started January with $89,258 in the bank.

•Dr. Victor Forys, who is campaigning on a message of expanded health care access, reported raising $60,126. After loaning his campaign $100,000, he started January with $137,312.

•Delta Airlines pilot Jan Donatelli reported raising $15,650, with most of her contributions coming from fellow pilots and the United Pilots Political Action Committee. She had $8,694 left at the start of last month.

•Labor lawyer Tom Geoghegan’s campaign also said it would not be filing a report until next time.

* Related…

* Impressions from the Fifth, Pt 1

* Democratic Hopefuls Vie For Emanuel’s Seat

* 11 Candidates in 5th District Debate

* Fritchey Says Emanuel May Want His Congressional Seat Back

* NEW: Quigley Seeks Donations of Toilet Paper, Gets Claypool Endorsement